On a whim, I decided the other day to start a new German pilot career in Wings over Flanders Fields. For some reason, Rudolph Stark's memoir 'Wings of War' came to mind and I opted to fly with the Bavarian Jagdstaffel 34b from mid-1918. A dangerous time to be sure, but I knew they got Fokker D.VIIs about then. They weren't at all pleased when, towards the end, these were replaced by Pfalz DXIIs.

Anyhow I was rolling forward my enlistment date till the D.VIIs appeared but stopped in May 1918, at which point the worn-out Pfalz D.IIIs were being replaced (in WoFF anyway) by Albatros D.Vs, beefed up by some Fokker Dr.I triplanes. I thought, I'll add a bit of zest to the experience - survive on the older types long enough to earn one of the new Fokkers.

The prospects for the survival bit of this plan took a bit of a nose-dive when I realised we were not in a quiet sector, but at Foucaucourt in Flanders. And despite being an Oberleutnant and having 'Always lead' selected, I got allocated one of the old V-strutters - described by von Richthofen even before this stage in the war as 'that damned Albatros' - rather than the more nimble triplane. Still, I look the part, with lozenge fabric camouflage, mid-1918 variety wide Greek crosses, and the staffel's trademark aluminium doped fuselages.



Our first sortie is a defensive patrol over an airfield about fifteen kilometres to the south-east. Apparently the Tommies have been raiding our bases and another attack is expected down there.



I'm soon on my way with seven aircraft, all the others flying triplanes.



As you can see, there's a lot of cloud about. I'm soon climbing up through one of the many wide many gaps.



Now then, how high am I going to go? The briefing's a bit hazy but I think about 4,000m was indicated. This might be relatively safe but it seems a bit high to defend an airfield in cloudy conditions. I decide to level off at around 2,500m.



There's enough breaks in the cloud to give me decent visibility of anything going on down near the ground...although the haze doesn't help.



Nevertheless, I stick to my plan. I'm now above the clouds but still with the ground in sight in my immediate vicinity. For the task I've been set, I decide this will do best.



Having finished climbing, I realise that I've drawn away from the triplanes so I throttle back and let them catch up.



The sun us up ahead on the left, which is not a bad place to have it. The Tommies won't be able to use it to get onto our tails.



Some of the triplanes are still lagging a bit. These mixed formations aren't a great idea, but beggars can't be choosers and with the Americans in the war and our losses heavy after theSpring offensives, the necessary air expansion programme has stretched our aircraft industry to the limits.



Not far to go now! An aircraft icon on the map isn't realistic really but it's a reasonable substitute for the sort of local knowledge that pilots would have, of their sector.



I ease further back on the throttle to let the triplanes come in closer. If and when trouble comes, I don't want us to be spread out all over the sky.



And trouble is not very far away!

...to be continued!

On we go. Not far now, and no sign of anyone else being up and about.



Down there, I think, is the airfield we've come here to protect. I hope they appreciate our efforts.



Time to start orbiting.



Suddenly, something catches my eye on the edges of my vision. A dark spot, up ahead and slightly right. It disappears even as I look at it, and I begin to wonder if I was imagining things. But no, it's flak, and real enough. More bursts appear as I watch.



The Tommies have arrived!

...to be continued!

It soon becomes apparent that the Englishmen in question are an agressive bunch of SE5 merchants. They swoop down onto us before I can do anything with this information and a wild scrap quickly develops. I order the boys to attack and latch onto an SE who's turning across my nose, some distance away.



I manage to cut the corner but he's going very fast and I can't get close enough. I start shooting at long range in the hope of damaging him with a lucky hit, or maybe scaring him into tightening his turn so that I can cut across it again. But he's damned fast, more so than my old packing case.



Suddenly, rounds from astern whack into my machine. Another of the SEs is breathing down my neck and firing, ignoring the two triplanes who are rather stupidly still flying in formation with me. Didn't they see my attack order? Can't they see what's going on?



Of course I have to give up on my target. It's all I can do to avoid being shot down at once. Coming out of one of a series of evasive moves, I find myself head on with one of the SE5s.



I get off a few rounds at him as he flashes past, but am then attacked again from behind, damaged and wounded. Once again I break away desperately, but this time everything feels sluggish and the SEs are all over me.



My engine's making some rather odd noises and it's only a matter of time. I push down the nose and roll into a tight downward spiral.



This forces an overshoot from a pair of Tommies who are trying to finish me off. They break away, chased by some flak, but it's only a matter of time before they're back.



My plan now is to stay alive long enough to get down onto the deck. Rather than force land, I want to find that airfield, but where is it?



I look around for it. At least my tail is still clear, for the time being.



My vision is closing in as I scan the skies behind anxiously. The air fight behind me is gradually coming lower down and is in full swing, but there's nothing coming close to me.



I pick up the airfield and come in on a curving approach. With a bit of luck my raggedly-running motor will have enough left in her to get me there.



Just about! And it's actually one of my better landings!



My last view of the air fight after switching off is a triplane circling protectively overhead as the airfield's own MGs let fly at the Tommies.



Later on, I find that I was the only casualty and will be spending a few days in hospital. Actually, two of the others are claiming kills, and as we had no other losses or damage, as a team effort my first mission was quite successful! It didn't feel that way though and I am resolved to do better next time. Hopefully, the new Fokkers will arrive soon and I'll get one of them!

Wow, seeing this I do hope one day Woff-VR will come out. Of course in cooperation with VorpX as its still DX9 and recreated some 3D cockpits by OBD. That other game is so sterile and limited, that it is not real fun flying in VR.